Donations were a part of the Bank's CARE Forward Campaign.
MARTINSVILLE, VA / ACCESSWIRE / December 6, 2021 / Since 1974, Carter Bank & Trust (NASDAQ:CARE) has built a reputation of care by working to enriching the lives of the people living and working in the communities it is privileged to serve. Through the CARE Forward Program, the Bank was able to continue that tradition by donating $31,370 to23non-profit organizations both nationally and throughout its footprint in the third quarter of 2021.
The program, which runs through the end of the year, donates $10 to a local non-profit for each business and personal checking account opened in a branch. For online account openings, donations are made to the American Red Cross.
"Through our CARE Forward program, we are able to financially support essential programs offered by local non-profit organizations across our footprint," CARE Forward Program Manager Kim Simon said. "We are thankful to continue this support during the third quarter of 2021, helping local non-profit organizations and the American Red Cross sustain programs focused on meeting critical needs of families and children."
In fourth quarter of 2021, Carter Bank & Trust Branches will be collecting hats, gloves, scarves, toys, personal hygiene times, school supplies and non-perishable food items in addition to CARE Forward program donations.
As part of the CARE Forward program, the bank shines a spotlight on non-profit partners, via posts on social media and other traditional and digital communication methods. During third quarter, three organizations were featured:
Family Service of the Piedmont
Evolving from charitable organizations created by the Greensboro and High Point communities during and following World War II, Family Service of High Point and Family & Children's Service of Greater Greensboro had a mission to care for families under stress. Family Service of the Piedmont resulted from an affiliation of these two agencies in 1999.
"FSP provides quality support services, advocacy and education for children and adults dealing with domestic violence, child abuse, mental health and financial stability," Marketing and Communications Coordinator Claudia Perez said. "By providing support services and resources to people experiencing these issues, they are better able to live healthy and productive lives, thereby creating safer and healthier families."
"Community support like Carter Bank & Trust's CARE Forward funds quality support services, advocacy and education that enables Family Service to help more than 17,000 local adults and children a year overcome trauma so they can live lives free of violence and abuse and have the support and resources they need to be safe and healthy."
Perez also offered a wellness tip for anyone looking to improve their quality of life.
"Through the pandemic, fewer people had eyes on our kids when schools and daycares were closed. People who were typically able to report about the welfare of children, including Family Service staff, were not able to identify issues to report them to authorities," she said. "Now that things are opening up, we are seeing an increase in child abuse cases. Calls to our law enforcement partners for high-risk domestic abuse are also up, and we are beginning to see a sharp increase of these cases coming through our doors. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we are also seeing a 30 percent increase in the number of mental health and substance abuse clients and expect that increase to continue. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship or needs someone to talk to, please contact our 24/7, confidential crisis line at 336-273-7273."
To learn more about Family Service of the Piedmont, visit www.FSPCares.org.
Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center
Southern Virginia Child Advocacy Center (SVCAC) is a non-profit umbrella agency that promotes the well-being of children through prevention, education, treatment, and advocacy. The SVCAC responds to cases for which there is a concern that a child or children have been impacted by family or community-based violence or neglect.
The SVCAC offers educational workshops and community awareness campaigns to provide a foundational understanding of what child abuse and neglect is, how to prevent it, how to respond, and that it's an adult's responsibility to protect children, not child's responsibility to protect themselves.
In addition, they partner with other service agencies to review cases in which a child has been identified as a victim or there is concern the child is at risk of victimization. At these case reviews, the teams collectively review and respond to these concerns, evidence, and information and come up with strategies that promotes safe outcomes for children.
Children who go to court as a result of abuse and neglect, may be assigned a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) who will review the case, gather additional documentation related to academic, medical, dental and their mental health needs, as well as, speaking with other parties in the matter to advocate for safe, permanent outcomes for children.
There is never a cost to the victim for any of these services.
"As we do not charge victims for services, we will be using the generous funds from Carter Bank & Trust to help offset expenses we do not have funding for through our current grants or foundation funds," Executive Director Joyce Moran said. "Much of these are operational and overhead. We need lights, water and phones to operate but we do not have sufficient funding through our grants. Training, supervision of clinical staff, and travel are also line items that support a skilled response to a victim's needs. Carter Bank & Trust's donation will be used for these critical operational expenses."
When it comes to children, Moran said to trust your instincts.
"Believe your children. Be prepared to speak up for a child in need. We see so many children who have to be their own champions it breaks my heart. Be a partner with us in protecting children."
To learn more about Southern Virginia Child Advocacy, visit www.southernvacac.org.
The Wesley Shelter
Located in Wilson, N.C., The Wesley Shelter is a domestic violence & sexual assault agency.
Since 1983, Wesley Shelter has been serving the Wilson community through its many programs.
What started as a small shelter for battered women has grown to include comprehensive services to all victims of domestic and sexual violence.
Services include Domestic and Sexual Violence Response, Services for Homeless Women and Children, The Edward Y.C. Thorne Safe House, 24 Hour Crisis Line, Women's Center, Children's Programs, Hispanic Outreach Services, Counseling, Legal Services, The Clothes Line and more. Approximately 1,300 women, children and men are served each year.
About Carter Bank & Trust
Headquartered in Martinsville, Va., Carter Bank & Trust is a $4.1 billion, state-chartered community bank with branches in Virginia and North Carolina. Since 1974, Carter Bank & Trust has built a reputation upon a tradition of care for the communities it serves through convenience, local service, and custom solutions for all customers. For more information about Carter Bank & Trust, visit www.CBTCares.com.
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Media Contact
Brooks Taylor
Brooks.Taylor@CBTCares.com
276-806-5445
SOURCE: Carter Bankshares, Inc.
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